RLB Blog

 RLB 

It is the start of a new year and RLB is thrilled to share the news of the advancement of three of our team members within the organization. We are excited to welcome these strong, talented women into leadership positions within RLB and look forward to their contributions to our team.  

RLB passionately believes that our people and our communities count. In a time like no other, we recognize that more families than ever are living with moderate to severe food insecurity. In this season of giving we made feeding our neighbours a priority. 

After nearly 4 decades in public accounting, it is with tremendous respect and gratitude that we announce the impending transition of Bruce Robinson from partner to associate as a preliminary stage of his retirement.  

Meet Justine Gaskell CPA, CA. A partner here at RLB with a devotion to mathematics. In honour of National STEM/STEAM Day (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math), we wanted to share the story of how math shaped her career.

October 10th is World Mental Health Day, and it feels like perfect timing. Life is finally starting to feel a little more normal. We’re emerging from many pandemic-related restrictions and beginning to find our footing in this post-lockdown world. Now is the perfect time to ensure that you are making your mental health and wellness a priority.   

If you’ve somehow managed to find the time to sit down and read a book, you’re likely looking to make the most of that time spent. Making the decision to invest in research and learning is a great step in the right direction, but it is vital to set yourself up for success in implementing what you have learned. 

The title of an article recently published on the Human Resource Director site called “Even Zoom CEO now has Zoom fatigue” covered how the man behind Zoom (just one of several video conferencing tools) hit his breaking point after 19 consecutive video meetings, people worldwide are experiencing the same feeling. It's been colloquially dubbed "Zoom Fatigue" but refers to all forms of video conferencing and refers to the exhaustion you feel from a long day of video calls. 

At RLB, "People Count" is our way of life. We firmly believe that a happy and healthy team will provide the best service to our clients and communities. This is why we put such a strong emphasis on the well-being of our team members. In honour of Mental Health Week, we share the ways we have put our people and their mental health first.  

Now that we have the basics of logging onto a video call down to a science, it's time to address the elephant in the room. There is some etiquette we should all adhere to when signing onto a virtual meeting.   

In the shadow of the pandemic, a "buy local" campaign spread across the country. Social media featured pleads to avoid retail giants in place of supporting local mom and pop shops. It seems to have been a success as many small businesses are still afloat a year into COVID-19. While the push to support local businesses has been well received and reasonably successful, another sector could desperately use the same help. However, there has been very little light shed on their COVID-related strife. Charities and Not-for-Profit Organizations (NPO’s) have primarily faced similar struggles to most businesses in this current economic climate, without the benefit of a call to action for support.  

Why is self-care more critical now than ever? Well, we’re living in stressful times. Pandemic stress is a real thing. Watching news around the world and seeing the number of COVID cases climb doesn't help.  If you have kids trying to accomplish online learning while working from home, it is a huge stressor. Perhaps you live alone, and you’re feeling isolated and lonely. It’s winter, and there’s less vitamin D, so you’re also struggling with Seasonal Affected Disorder. There’s a lot to be worried about. Letting that worry build-up without giving yourself an outlet to decompress is a recipe for disaster.  

When we entered lockdown 2.0, we knew what to expect the second time around. We wanted to share these tried-and-true ways for staying connected with your team when they’re all working remotely. These 5 tips will have you boosting morale and smiling through this second wave. 

The new year is synonymous with resolutions. The early days of a shiny new year are filled with positivity and declared change. While some may balk at the concept, creating healthy habits may just be the thing your team needs to excel in 2021.

December in an average year is always a month of ups and downs. The combination of holiday excitement, pending family interactions, excess spending and less sunshine are enough to rattle the steeliest of nerves. Add in a pandemic, and you've got the perfect storm for a mental health crisis.  More than ever, this is a year to find new ways to support your team.

As with most events this year, the workplace holiday party will likely be a virtual affair. Certainly, your organization could opt to scrap the whole thing and try again next year, but with everything your team has endured since the last round of holidays, it might be nice to come together once again and celebrate the good.  Why not try a virtual holiday party this year?

With awareness surrounding mental health issues on the rise, many workplaces have integrated an emphasis on mental wellness into their workplace culture. It is incredibly common to see Employee Assistance Programs included in benefits packages, with some organizations even opting to build committees or teams dedicated entirely to keeping the conversation of mental health and wellness both open and constructive.

In recent years, the topic of mental health and psychological well-being went from being a taboo subject to a point of focus for many individuals and organizations. Those living daily with mental health struggles were suddenly unburdened of their shame and guilt and invited to speak openly about the challenges they face day-to-day. As more and more people stepped forward to share their own experiences, the question was no longer “how do we normalize this?” but more so “how can we help?” The focus shifted from awareness of the situation to support and education.